


Traces

by sansakatara



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, Anti Rhaegar Targaryen because hes a douche, Bittersweet, Elia Martell Deserved Better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:15:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26792734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sansakatara/pseuds/sansakatara
Summary: For years afterwards, Oberyn would try to find traces of Elia in his daughters.
Relationships: Elia Martell & Oberyn Martell, Oberyn Martell/Ellaria Sand
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	Traces

I.  
For years afterwards, Oberyn would try to find traces of Elia in his daughters. To find traces of the sister who had survived against all odds. Elia had almost died at birth, and had almost died again in their early childhood of an illness. She had almost died giving birth to her children, and it was after Aegon that the maesters had warned Rhaegar that his wife could not survive another birthing.  
Oberyn did not know if Rhaegar intended to comply. He would have killed him otherwise. But knowing what Rhaegar did later- taking the Stark girl, Oberyn was doubtful. Rhaegar’s actions proved he was a man who did what he wanted, rather than listened to others. Oberyn was not that different, in truth. But things might have been so much different if Rhaegar had just listened.  
Elia had survived against all odds- only for her to be cut down by the Lannisters. 

With Obara, it was futile. Her eyes were close-set, and her hair the same shade as her mother; the Oldtown whore that he had bedded. His daughter was no beauty, but that did not matter. She was his. And Oberyn knew that her aunt would have seen her as beautiful regardless; the way she would have seen all his children. 

Nymeria was slim like Elia had been, and had dark hair like her. But that was where the similarities ended, and even then, it was not the same. Nymeria’s slim build did not have the delicateness that Elia did, and she always kept her hair braided while Elia preferred to let hers loose. Like her older half-sister, Nymeria took after her mother.

With Tyene and Sarella, that answer had already been given well before Elia’s murder. Tyene was fair-skinned and golden-haired, with blue eyes. Indeed, if her eyes had been green instead of blue, she might have passed as an older sister of his brother’s ward – the Lannister princess, for all that she called herself a Baratheon like her brothers. Sarella like her sisters, again took after her mother. She had light-brown skin, and short dark hair. But there was nothing of Elia in her.

It proved to be the same with his youngest four. Elia, Obella, Dorea, and Loreza. He had bedded more women (and men) then he could count, but he had only ever loved one, and that was his darling Ellaria. The mother of his youngest. He was glad that they all looked similar to her. They all had her smile, and nose. But there was none of Elia in them, and it hurt.  
There was no hope of finding Elia in Doran’s own children either.  
Oberyn knew instinctively that he would never father another child.  
The only one who had looked like Elia was her own daughter Rhaenys, but the Lannisters had killed her too.  
It was not right. His sister deserved- she deserved to have a child that would not only live beyond her, but who looked like her too.  
His sister had deserved so much more. 

II.  
When Doran meets Aegon for the first time, he is overwhelmed by the memory of Elia.  
For all his Targaryen looks- the fair hair, the lilac eyes, all he can see is Elia.  
His smile, that was Elia’s. She had given him her jawline, and nose. Although his eyes were lilac, not brown, it was the shade of Elia that he saw.  
“Your Grace.” Although Doran could not help his tears, he could help his courtesy.  
“You look so much like her.” Aegon scrunched up his nose in the same way that his dear sister always did when she was confused, and Doran wanted to laugh. “Like your mother. Princess Elia of Dorne.”


End file.
